Belmont Hill and Winsor Arts

Playlist of the Issue: Nov. 2021

Get the full playlist on Spotify – @bhpanel

For our first joint issue of 2021, we are excited to share some of our favorites for the season and from the summer. We hope you enjoy these songs as much as we do!

IZZY/GIGI KAILEN/LUKE

Wasted Time - Vance Joy (Izzy)

With Spotify Wrapped coming out in just a month, there is something wildly satisfying about knowing the exact song that will be at the top of your “most listened to” tracks. “Wasted Time” has become my quintessential soundtrack to everything fall, and I’ve played it on loop for days on end. The sweet vocals, smoothly intertwined with the instrumentals, capture the warmth of the late afternoon sun and the bittersweet ache as seasons change and time continues to move forward without ceasing.

Boys - Hippo Campus (Izzy)

This song is like coffee to coffee addicts. From the bright vocals embellished with electric instrumentals to the colorful thrum of the beats, every component of this song culminates in a cool refreshing rush of adrenaline. As you chug through your day on minimal amounts of sleep, this song will break through the depths of your exhaustion and revive you for a few delightful minutes.

Jump the Turnstile TV Girl, Jordana (Kailen)

This song is from a joint album between indie pop band TV Girl and bedroom pop star Jordana. It’s perfect title, Summer’s Over, helps it fit the vibe of the final weeks of summer freedom. “Jump the Turnstile” is my favorite track, but every song on this record is an absolute bop, and I highly recommend checking it out.

Everytime - Boy Pablo (Kailen)

“Everytime” is a super soft-sounding song that I refuse to skip any time it comes on. Somehow, it has made it into my top ten songs on my Spotify Wrapped for the past three years. Many of Boy Pablo’s songs have cool guitar riffs and goofy-sad lyrics that make it easy to just lie down on the floor and stare at the ceiling for a while. So, give it a listen!

Place to Be - Nick Drake (Gigi)

“Place to Be” comes from Drake’s final album Pink Moon. Drake’s poetic lines and beautiful strumming are a reflection of his brilliant mind and music, and the entire album itself is a wonderful work of art. Speaking of, the exquisite cover art was done by surrealist artist Michael Trevithick, and it’s definitely a picture to contemplate while listening to this song.

All of My Love - Led Zeppelin (Luke)

More of a “fall vibe,” this Zeppelin track takes a different approach from their previous albums. Its use of different instruments throughout the song, especially the synthesized violin in the middle of the song, makes it one of my favorites.

Autumn Leaves - Chet Baker (Gigi)

Now that we are nicely settled into the season, “Autumn Leaves” feels like the perfect piece for the setting and captures the bustling atmosphere of fall festivities. Baker’s rendition features his smooth and clean trumpet playing, leading the music into an orange haze of swing and electricity. The different versions of “Autumn Leaves” are endless, and its variety of moods and rhythms make it a great classic.

Todo De Ti - Rauw Alejandro (Luke)

This song reminds me of the summer. Everyone enjoys those three months when there are little to no worries, and you can just relax in the sun listening to some Spanish pop. While it might not be the most complex song, there is beauty in Alejandro’s simplicity, and I adore this sound.

Continued: Winsor and BH Phase into Normalcy

By Jackson Kendall ’22, Angelina Li ’22, and Kevin Weldon ’24 Banner and Panel Staff

On October 18, with the entire school testing negative for COVID, masks were no longer required indoors (apart from those unvaccinated), except for during events in the chapel, due to the fact that Belmont Hill has a 99% vaccination rate. Mr. Schneider explained at Friday Forum on the 15th of October that the Belmont Hill administration had devised a two phase plan on a return to normalcy. In Phase I, vaccinated students had the choice to not wear a mask in classes unless their teacher required them to, and hot menu items such as soup and burritos were featured on the lunch menu. Starting on November 15, Phase 2 began with lunch returning to family-style and students being able to remove masks during the all-school David Brooks chapel meeting. Aidan Lee ’24 said, “I’m really excited to get back to sit-down lunch,” and with this long awaited return to normalcy at Belmont Hill, many of the students will return to the lunch they remember from two years ago, while for a few students, these changes will be new and their first introduction to the real Belmont Hill program. The reintroduction of lunch to the school will finally bring school back to normal and we are thankful to everyone helping to bring back the classic Belmont Hill experience. On Pilgrim Road, the Winsor community has seen quite a dramatic shift in terms of COVID policies and restrictions. Masks are required indoors at all times, but are optional in outdoor spaces. Classrooms are at full capacity, with desks and chairs moved back to where they used to be. Many students at Winsor have noticed the many positive changes in our learning environment and are optimistic about the school year. Aleksaundra Handrinos ’22 commented, “This year at Winsor has definitely felt more normal than last! While we are still wearing masks, which feels pretty normal at this point, just the ability to spend time in spaces like the senior homeroom and the library reminds me of our pre-COVID time at school. I love spending my free blocks working with classmates and enjoying these spaces we missed for some time.” Certainly, many community spaces at Winsor have been transformed since last spring, including the dining hall. There, food is served buffet-style, with a self-serve sandwich and salad bar—just like it used to be! Similar to Handrinos, Tia Sheth ’22 appreciates the reconnection of our community. As one of four SASS (Students Advocating for School Spirit) heads, she said, “while Winsor never lost its community feel, on UTL, being all together for the pep rally felt like the past two years have only brought us closer together. With masks, without masks, being in person for school has made the Winsor School community feel alive and each day, I am grateful that this is not a normal senior year; it is more special.” While Winsor continues to promote safety and health this new school year, we are incredibly grateful for all of the changes that allow us to stay connected with one another. Both Winsor and Belmont Hill students are experiencing day-to-day lives at school that still reflect the unusual times we are living in, but that allow us to closely interact with our communities nonetheless. If we continue to prioritize our health and safety, we will make possible a school year filled with fun traditions, exciting events, and a return to normalcy. ☐

Should Belmont Hill Administer Midterm Exams?

By Austin Curtis ’23 Panel Staff

As COVID-19 began to creep its way closer into our daily lives and community so long ago, Belmont Hill had to adapt and thus part ways with some of the old traditions. As the workload became more complicated over the new dashboard system, and as zoom calls were the only way to talk with each other, we slowly lost simple parts of life that made it all the more worthwhile. Classrooms, lunchrooms, outdoor and indoor spaces were all changing during this time, and the scramble to keep the community safe now meant giving up the dreaded midterms. Midterms have a different meaning to different individuals depending on if you test well on them, but regardless of whether you study for a week or a day, it can be agreed that the cancellation of midterms was a huge sigh of relief for the students. Already a stressful process, midterms’ difficulty would have been accentuated with the addition of a global pandemic, not to mention the classes which have condensed the curriculum into an untestable amount of material. However, as the age of masks gets further in our rearview mirrors, the questions of what has withstood the test of the pandemic are being asked. Should midterms come back? If

you were to ask the boys around campus, you would be shocked that a school would even give a test so cruel after hearing their comments. However, despite the hatred for this tradition, it’s something that can’t be avoided. Eventually, midterms had to return. While the break from those long night study sessions was restful, as with everything else that was cancelled because of the pandemic, Belmont Hill must inevitably

administer these mid-year exams again. As much as we would all love them to disappear and never return, it’s important to keep traditions going even after a setback like the COVID-19 pandemic. One benefit of midterms is the forced review of material heading into the long break. In order to do well on midterms, students must review the semester’s material. Students return from the break, having already taken midterms, with a solid foundation heading into the second semester. This mastery of the first semester’s material was absent last year because midterms were not administered. Another benefit is the shared struggle that the students are a part of as we study for our tests. We can all come together over the fact that midterms are sometimes pretty tough. However, in a way, they help us become closer, as we all have to endure the grind together. While Belmont Hill students would agree that last year’s cancellation of midterm exams was a pleasant break from the normal schedule, it is time for midterms to come back. With the return of the best of Belmont Hill traditions, like cookies and milk and chapels, the more dreaded traditions must return as well. ☐

Belmont Hill Classrooms During the Pandemic BH Communications

Does the World Rely Too Much on Social Media?

By Duncan Kilbride ’24 Panel Staff

Varying social media platforms have taken the world by storm within the past decade. A recent study from Statista claims that there are over 3.78 billion social media users worldwide. This converts to an incredible 48% of the entire human population.

Furthermore, Statista predicts the number of social media users to rise to over 4.41 billion global users by 2025. At the vanguard of this technological revolution is none other than Meta, the parent company of Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and more. A survey by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that around 90% of teenagers from 13 years old to 17 years old have one or more social media accounts with an average of nine hours spent on social media every day, highlighting the extent to which social media has overrun the lives of the younger generations. Social media’s history has included both prosperity and controversy. The initial goal of social media was to reignite relationships between people, thus making them closer. In some regards, this endeavor has been extremely successful, as many people believe that they have become much more engaged with others. Additionally, as digital assets and technology become even more vital to normal life, social media is starting to replace traditional media with news-services. Grassroot organizations find much more success within the digital realm, especially on social media, because it allows them to grow their base of followers much

more efficiently. Lastly, social media is simply a new form of entertainment, chiefly among the younger generations. On the other hand, despite the numerous contributions to society, many hold a poor view of social media. They are not without reason, as social media also happens to be a breeding ground for unreliable information and conspiracy theories, perhaps imbuing certain views to an impressionable age group. In addition, some people have formed an unhealthy attachment to it, causing procrastination or other issues. Some studies have been able to correlate increased social media use to depression and suicide. Finally, there is great loss in privacy for many people when using social media. Although polarizing, social media has played a decidedly negative effect on humanity. Ironically, social media sabotages its initial purpose in bringing people together by discouraging in-person interactions, while promoting online interactions. Although it has connected people who live thousands of miles away, in turn, it has made face-to-face relationships less meaningful and unimportant to many. This is clearly evident in the statistics shown above as unimaginable proportions of civilization have taken to this digital platform making reality less intimate. Modern culture has integrated social media too freely, undermining real human connection.☐

Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook’s Acquisitions BH Communications

Executive Editors

Arec Keomurjian ’22 Angelina Li ’22 Natalie Pan ’23 Copy Editor

Andrew Bittner ’24 Isabelle Fan ’23 Arts Editors

Anna Halfman ’23 Daniel Rashes ’22 Sports Editors

Daniel Bittner ’22 Sophia Lin-David ’22 Graphics Editors

Annie Fisher ’24 Kevin Jiang ’22 Luke Trevisan ’24 Franchesca Vilmenay ’22 Staff Artists

Chloe Chao ’23 Ella Pascucci ’23

Editors-In-Chief

Luke Hogan ’22 Howard Huang ’22 Jessica Wei ’22

Online Editors

Alex Lo ’23 Lidia Rodriguez ’23 Meredith Tangney ’23 Assistant Editors

Daniel Cho ’23 Gigi Chu ’23 Drew Dummer ’22 Noah Farb ’24 Merhawi Ghebrelul ’23 Lauren Hogan ’23 Aidan Lee ’24 Brian Lee ’24 Christina Monroe ’23 Daniel Moran ’23 Luke Trevisan ’24 Kevin Weldon ’24 Davis Woolbert ’25 Daniel Xie ’24

Faculty Advisors

David Hegarty Veronica Plata Samantha Simpson Tom Wensink Juliette Zener Digital Media Editor

Cooper Nelson ’23 News Editors

Katya Agrawal ’23 David Cho ’23 Opinion Editors

Anika Banerjee ’22 Mac Bobo ’23 Photo Editors

Tarini Dasari ’23 Alex Sousa ’22 Back Page Editors

Jacob Czarnecki ’22 Ivy Eastland ’23 Abby Groom ’22 Jackson Kendall ’22 Charlie March ’22 Tommy Madden ’22

The Panel, founded in 1953, is the official school newspaper of the Belmont Hill School. The Banner, renamed in 2019, is the official school newspaper of the Winsor School. The Panel and The Banner are the voice of the student body. We publish articles that are of consequence to the students, as well as the school communities. The views expressed in The Panel and The Banner belong solely to the authors and editors and do not necessarily represent the student body, faculty or administration of either school. Any comment about the content should be addressed directly to the editors. The Panel and The Banner encourage responsible opinion in the form of Letters to the Editor. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for length and content. Copyright © 2021 The Panel and The Banner. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the Editors-in-Chief. Published by the Belmont Printing Co., Belmont, MA 02478.